Adjustable mouth for shipping-packages.



No. 719,820. PATENTED FEB. 3, 1 903.

c. Q. o. LEIGH. ADJUSTABLE MOUTH FOR SHIPPING PACKAGES.

APPLICATION IILBD OUT. 3, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

MW! e UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

CHARLES Q. C. LEIGH, OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY.

ADJUSTABLE MOUTH FOR SHIPPING-PACKAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,820, dated February 3, 1903.

Application filed October 3, 1902.

T0 at whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Q. C. LEIGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paducab, in the county of McCracken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Mouths for Shipping-Packages,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a device which is especially desirable for use in packing bananas; and the main object of myinvention is the provision of a removable mouth or funnel to be placed in the mouth of a package or crate and which is provided with means for adjustably holding the ends of the device together, so as to allow the same to be 'held in the mouth of a package by its own contact and weight.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of this character which is an embodiment of simplicity, durability, and inexpensiveness, thus producinga thoroughly efficient and practical device for this purpose.

To attain these desired'objects, the invention consists of a device to be used in packing bunches of bananas embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts substantially as disclosed herewith.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a banana-package with my improved device in use thereon. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device removed from the package, but in a position it-assumes before being placed it the mouth of the package. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank, and Fig. 4 is a modification.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a strip of flexible material which is provided with the outwardly-curved" upper edge B andthe substantially parallel inwardly-curved lower edge 0. This strip may be made in a single sheet or a series of sheets of material. This strip is further provided with the terminals D and E, the terminal D being provided with the slightly-inturned upper edge E, which is adapted to cause the terminal D to more readily engage or catch in one of the series of tangs or tongues G, cutfrom the body of the blank near the end E thereof. These tongues may be in any desired num- Serial No. 125,784. (No modelJ bers of series in order to allow the blank when assembled to be increased in circumference or diameter, according to the mouth of the package upon which the device is used. At the upper edge of the end E, I also provide the slightly-inturned point H, which causes the meeting ends of the blank to be held more closely together. These inturned ends, however, can be dispensed with without departing from the spirit of improvement, as the vital feature is the provision of the series of outwardlyprojecting tongues or tangs which are adapted to receive the other end of the blank, so as to form a complete funnel-shaped attachment with overlapping terminals.

This attachment may be made of any desirable flexible material, such as heavy paper, tin, galvanized iron, or any other similar material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is evident that I provide an attachment which is'adjustable to fit in the mouth of any package, which can be fitted in very quickly, and will form a guide for a bunch of bananas to be brought in toward the body of the package, so that the packing of bananas is greatly facilitated and much time and labor is saved.

The best manner of applying this device is to adjust it to the shape of the mouth of the package, place the attachment in the month of the package, then place enough straw in the position to fill the lower mouth thereof, the bunch ofbananas being now shoved through the funnel into the package and carrying the straw or any other suitable cushioning material to the bottom of the package, Where it will protect the lower end and lower sides of the bunch of fruit, so as to prevent it from being injured in transportation.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An attachment of the nature described, comprising a sheet of material having a plurality of rows of tongues projecting from the body thereof near one terminal of the blank, adapted to receive the other terminal of the blank to form a funnel-shaped body.

2. In an attachment of the nature described, comprising a sheet of material adapted to be formed into a funnel-shaped body, I In testimony whereof I affix my signature the lower edge of the blank being shorter in presence of two Witnesses.

than the-. upper ed e and a series of rows of l outwardly-projecting tongues formed from CHARLES LEIGH the body of the blank near one terminal Witnesses:

thereof adapted to engage and hold the other J. M. WORTEN,

1 R. G. CALDWELL.

terminal thereof. 

